Business

More Than 300 Tufts Health Plan Employees Help During Volunteer Day

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More than 325 employees from Tufts Health Plan spent the day volunteering with community organizations throughout the Greater Boston area, this week, completing more than 900 hours of service in one day. Volunteer Day is one way Tufts Health Plan demonstrates its commitment to community, inviting all employees to spend the day in service with and for community organizations, according to Tufts Health Plan. It was a beautiful day – and so rewarding to learn more about the great work of our community partners. Nearly 40 volunteers spent the morning building ramps and striping the Community Rowing parking lot to make it possible for rowers with disabilities to access the water. More than 50 volunteers tackled landscaping projects at the Dimock Center in Roxbury, spreading more than 20 yards of mulch and planting more than nine dozen annuals and perennials to beautify the grounds.

Around Town

New England Patriots Honor Watertown Charity That Helps the Troops

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Operation American Soldier received an award from the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation for its work sending care packages to American servicemen and women across the globe from its base at the Marine Corps League’s Charles J. Shutt Detachment in Watertown. Founder Wendy Rocca was one of 26 recipients of the Myra Kraft Community MVP Award at a luncheon held on June 2 at Gillette Stadium. Among those on hand were Patriots Owner Bob Kraft, QB Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gonkowski. “It was a wonderful, memorable experience!” Rocca said.

Around Town

Woman Catches Cancer Early Thanks to Relay for Life

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Margaret Klingmeyer began participating in the Relay For Life in honor of her sister, but the annual event that raises money for the American Cancer Society helped her in her own fight with the disease. Klingmeyer, 70, a semi-retired CPA who lives in Wellesley, is no stranger to fighting back against cancer. She began fundraising for the American Cancer Society in 2008, the year her sister lost her life after a battle with lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. That year, she joined Relay For Life of New Bedford, where she was born and where she sister lived. The following year, she started Team Hiker Chris with the Relay For Life of Watertown-Newton-Waltham event, in Watertown, the town where she cares for her grandchildren and often visits her daughter.

Addiction

Local Man Creates Running Group to Help Addicts in Recovery

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In recovery from an opiates addiction and sober for over 40 years, Mike Ferullo is a man dedicated to his belief in the power of embracing wellness in recovery. He discovered running on his own journey to wellness and recovery and has been running ever since.  

Running has been a healthy way for him to exercise not only physically but also a way to train his mind to stay positive. As a clinical social worker, Ferullo has counseled countless addicts over the years to replace their addictions with a better kind of high – a healthy runner’s high. He also started running club for those recovering from addiction – the Boston Bulldogs – which is hosting a 5K Run for Recovery and a Vigil on May 22.

Charity

Watertown Resident Biking 62 Miles to End Alzheimer’s in Honor of Grandfather

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Doug Orifice, of Watertown, will bike 62 miles in the 2016 Ride to End Alzheimer’s Saturday, June 11, the Alzheimer’s Association announced. Beginning and ending at Seacoast Science Center in Rye, the Ride provides a 2-mile, 30-mile, 62-mile and 100-mile route along southern New Hampshire and northeastern Massachusetts. Orifice joined the Ride to End Alzheimer’s in 2013 months after he lost his grandfather Alzheimer’s. “After giving the eulogy at my Grandfather’s funeral I made the decision to fight back against this disease,” said Orifice. “Because I’ve seen the seriousness of this disease firsthand, I would like to do my part in making a difference.”

Charity

Launch Watertown Participating in Red Nose Day to End Child Poverty

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Launch Watertown trampoline park will take part in Red Nose Day on May 26 and work to end childhood poverty. Come down and jump at Launch on May 26 and get your red nose. Also, 25 percent of your ticket cost will go toward the effort to end childhood poverty. Launch is located at 625 Pleasant Street in Watertown (across from Russo’s).

Around Town

Boy Scouts Hosting Car Wash, Donations Help Support the Troop

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Get your car washed May 14 by members of Boy Scout Troop 30 on Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown, the troop announced. The car wash is being provided by your local scouts as a public service. Donations will be accepted by Watertown Scouts to offset the purchase of camping and scouting equipment. The car wash will be held at St.

Charity

Woman Biking 200 Miles to Put a Salad Bar in the Watertown Public Schools

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Jenn LaVardera of Dole will cycle approximately 200 miles from Napa Valley to Monterey, Calif. on behalf of Watertown Public Schools to raise funds to donate a salad bar to the district. They will both ride as part of the third-annual Tour de Fresh Cycling Event benefitting the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign, which has provided more than 100 salad bars to schools across the country in the last two years – providing tens of thousands of students with fresh produce options on a daily basis. The event, a collaborative effort by fresh produce industry professionals and presented by The California Giant Foundation, will begin in Napa Valley on July 26 and conclude in Monterey, Calif. on July 28 just before the industry’s annual PMA Foodservice Conference.